Shark (Fin Soup) Attack!

President gets criticized for a dish he *didn't* order during visit to Chinatown landmark...
The White House liked the optics of President Obama's surprise Thursday visit to San Francisco landmark Great Eastern Restaurant so much that an image of Mr. Obama posing for a photo with thrilled diners became today's Photo of the Day on the blog (above). Not everyone was so jazzed by the President's dumpling drop by: Though Mr. Obama didn't go near a bowl of shark fin soup, he's being criticized in the press for patronizing a restaurant that sells the traditional but now illegal delicacy.

"Obama at restaurant that still serves sharkfin" was the headline in the hometown digital outlet, the SFGate. "Obama Shark Fin Soup: President Eats At Restaurant That Still Serves Taboo Meat," was the headline on Huffington Post.

"President Obama, who signed the Shark Conservation Act into law last month, apparently didn't check out the menu before he made a surprise visit Thursday to a Chinatown restaurant that is among a handful still serving shark fin soup, a delicacy that has been outlawed in California," chastised SFGate.

Or, er, the President's advance team didn't check out the menu. Great Eastern still sells braised shark fin soup for $48 a bowl, thanks to a loophole in the California law. The President "was not aware" that shark fin soup was still on the menu, Press Secretary Jay Carney, who accompanied Mr. Obama for the take-out meet n' greet, told reporters on Friday.

"The President enjoyed his visit to Chinatown, and, as you know, ordered a lot of dim sum takeout. No soup," Carney said.

The President left the restaurant with two laden bags, server Wing Oin told Obama Foodorama. These contained enough to feed a party of 14: Three orders of Shrimp Dumplings, three orders of Pork Dumplings, three orders of Shanghai Dumplings, and three orders of Sesame Bao. Each order contained either three or four dumplings/bao. The President asked Oin to make the selections for him, Oin said.

The White House this week was running another "what does $40 mean to you?" campaign as the President pressured Congress to extend the payroll tax cut. Apparently $48 means some bad press.

*Photo by Pete Souza/White House

Chinatown Take-Out: President Obama Visits Great Eastern Restaurant In San Francisco

President drops by for dumplings, bao & baby wrangling...
UPDATE: The President gets criticized for his visit because the eatery serves shark fin soup
In San Francisco on the way to a $35,800/ticket fundraiser at the swank Mark Hopkins Intercontinental Hotel, President Obama on Thursday made a "surprise" stop in Chinatown at Great Eastern Restaurant for an impromptu Eat & Greet. He is arrival at 1:22 PM by motorcade at the Jackson Street eatery caused shrieks of excitement from the lunchtime crowd, who yelled "Obama! Obama!" as he entered. The President was clad casually with no jacket, his shirtsleeves rolled up, ready to work the room. (Above: The President chats with customers)

"How are you? Good to see you!" President Obama said repeatedly, as he shook hands and posed for photos.

A local landmark, acclaimed for its offerings, the restaurant has been open for 26 years and is best known for its dumplings, according to server Wing Oin, who placed the President's take-out order and dished the details to Obama Foodorama. The President asked Wing to make the selections for a party of 14: Three orders of Shrimp Dumplings, three orders of Pork Dumplings, three orders of Shanghai Dumplings, and three orders of Sesame Bao. Each order contains either three or four dumplings/bao. (Above: The President and a future voter)

Mr. Obama "just walked in and said he wanted dim sum, and said you order," Wing said, adding that he was "not nervous."

The President paid about $120 cash in cash, according to Wing, and the order was packed into two take-out bags that read "Thank You" on the side.

Other patrons were more excited than Wing, who seemed to take it as a matter of course that the Eater in Chief would drop by for dumplings. The delighted crowd rushed toward the President as he entered, "leaving plates of lo mein behind," according to pool. (Above: The President paying for lunch)

Wing, who came to the US from Canton, has worked at Great Eastern for a decade, and said the President is not the first luminary he's served...but he couldn't remember the names of the other high-profile patrons who have visited. The eatery does not have a website.

The President's visit was a surprise: "He just showed up," said Wing.

The President spent time working the dining room, posing for pictures and shaking hands. After picking up his take-out order, the President worked a small rope line outside the restaurant. Then he walked back inside the restaurant and paid for his lunch. He'd been greeted at the airport on his arrival in San Francisco by California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, and State Attorney General Kamala Harris.

The fundraisers...
After the dim sum interlude, as the motorcade drove along San Francisco Bay toward the President's fundraiser at the Mark Hopkins Intercontinental Hotel, big crowds were gathered on the side of the road, waving and snapping pictures. (Above: The President departing with his take-out bags as press Secretary Jay Carney and Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett, left, look on)

The cable cars stopped as the motorcade cut through the city. According to an OFA official, the President's fundraiser at the Intercontinental was scheduled to have approximately 20 supporters.

On Thursday evening, the President will attend a fundraising dinner with 70 supporters at a private residence in San Francisco - where there will be a performance by Al Green - followed by a fundraising reception at the Nob Hill Masonic Center. There will be 2,500 people in attendance and that event will feature a musical performance by Chris Cornell. Tickets for the dinner cost $35,800. Tickets for the reception start at $100.

All proceeds from Thursday’s events will go to Obama Victory Fund, a joint fundraising committee authorized by Obama for America and the Democratic National Committee.(Above: Another photo of the President with diners)

On Wednesday evening, the President raised close to $3 million at an event in Los Angeles, CA, and on Thursday morning attended a fundraiser in Corona Del Mar, CA.

Information: Great Eastern Restaurant is at 649 Jackson Street, San Francisco, CA. 94133. Phone: (415) 986-2500.

*Photos by AP/Getty pool

Today: President Hosts "Lunch With Barack"

UPDATE: The lunch was for the "Dinner with Barack" fundraising contest. Read about it here.
*See note at bottom of post
President Obama's first lunchtime restaurant outing of 2012 is in service to his re-election effort. At 12:15 PM today, "the President will have lunch at a local restaurant with winners of a campaign contest," the White House announced. The eatery has not yet been identified, but the luncheon will be in Washington, DC.. The White House didn't announce President Obama's last lunch outing with the winners of an OFA contest, when he dined with volunteers at DC's Ted's Bulletin restaurant last August (above).

Nor was that luncheon listed on the President's daily schedule. Today's outing is. Mr. Obama chowed down on a cheeseburger and fries at Ted's, in keeping with being the most beef loving President in modern history.

The President's most recent campaign dining contest, "Dinner with Barack and Michelle," ended on Dec. 31. The names of the three winners have not yet been announced.

Before today's lunch, the President "will visit staff and deliver brief remarks at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau" at 11:40 AM. He announced his recess appointment for CFPB chief Richard Cordray on Wednesday.

*Note, 5:50 PM: Before today, "Lunch with Barack" was never part of the Campaign's dinner contest lingo, though many large media outlets, including ABC, have reported it as such.

"President Obama lunched in Washington today with four grassroots supporters and winners of his re-election campaign’s “Lunch with Barack” fundraising sweepstakes," ABC reported.

OFA released this behind-the-scenes video of the campaign lunch at Ted's Bulletin:

President's First White House Lunch Of 2012

Post-holiday meet n' eat with Vice President Biden...
After spending ten days vacationing in Hawaii, President Obama was reunited with Vice President Joe Biden at the White House on Tuesday following his arrival in Washington, DC, at 7:30 AM. As is a weekly tradition, the President and Vice President had a private, closed-press lunch, their first of 2012. The reunion was at 12:30 PM in the Oval Office Private Dining Room. (Above: The President and Vice President at a previous lunch)

The rest of the President's day was spent in meetings with Senior Advisors, and with Defense Secretary Leon Panetta. The President was immediately in campaign mode: On Tuesday evening at 8:00 PM, he was scheduled to address Democratic Iowa Caucus attendees, via video teleconference from the Washington Hilton. Update: Transcript here.

*Photo by Pete Souza/White House, taken on Nov. 5, 2009.